Futurama, Smithsonian style

A new traveling exhibit at the courthouse sponsored by the famed institute features gadgets and gizmos that past generations dreamed up for the future.

By JORGE SANCHEZ

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 29, 2001

[Times photo: Ron Thompson] Andrew Steinemann, 7, assembles his invention: a tunnel from the year 3456 that transports people from underwater. Andrew made the model Wednesday for the Summer Gifted Program at Inverness Primary School.

Visions from the past about the future are depicted in Yesterday's Tomorrows, a traveling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute that begins its summer stay at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum on Independence Day.

Yesterday's Tomorrows shows how space travel, housing and clothing were predicted by earlier generations. These past visions of America's future contain ideas ranging from the light-hearted to somber. Among these early ideas of the future are ray guns, nuclear-powered cars and a waterproof living room that a housewife could clean by using a garden hose.

"It's a humanities exhibit," said Kathie Turner Thompson, museum director. "It will have prints, artifacts and graphics."

The exhibit will be set up in the Citrus Room, one of the downstairs exhibit areas. It joins the permanent historical displays and the gift shop at the museum.

Yesterday's Tomorrows will remain at the old courthouse museum until Aug. 12.

"Yesterday's Tomorrows is part of the Smithsonian's efforts to get more of its exhibits into the smaller communities across the nation. I'm very excited to have it here," Turner Thompson said.

To help celebrate the opening, Inverness will host the Uncle Sam Jam on July 7 at the Courthouse Square. Throughout the day, activities such as a decorated bicycle parade, children's games, a patriotic ceremony and a street dance are scheduled. The Uncle Sam Jam will have a ribbon cutting for the exhibit's official grand opening at 5 p.m.

Other related events include a panel discussion from science fiction authors on July 14 at the Citrus County Auditorium, a speaker from NASA from 2 to 5 p.m. July 25 at the old courthouse and a presentation on the future of architecture from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 4.

The exhibit is free. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

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